Where should downtown's ice rink go next winter?

The Reno City Council tomorrow will discuss what to do with the ice rink next winter. There are three options: Leave it at the Ballpark, use a portable rink at the City Plaza location at city hall, or build a new permanent rink. What are your thoughts? Based on the costs outliend below, where would you want it?

Option 1 – Enter into a new agreement with SKBBM to allow them to continue to operate the rink at Greater Nevada Field. This option could be a lease similar to the existing lease with a $10,000 annual payment for use of equipment or it could be to sell the equipment to SKBBM for an undetermined cost. The size of the rink at Greater Nevada field is approximately 112 feet long by 82 feet wide. If this option is chosen, a separate agenda item will be brought back to Council at a future meeting.

Option 2 – Similar to what SKBBM has done the last four years, the City could rent a portable ice rink and place it at City Plaza. The permanent ice rink is 185 feet long by 85 feet wide. The maximum recommended size for renting a portable rink system is 160 feet wide by 82 feet wide. In addition to the portable rental cost, the City would need to purchase a new zamboni shed which is necessary to prevent vandalism to the zamboni when the ice rink is closed over night. Also necessary would be to find additional funding for daily operations to the Parks, Recreation and Community Services, Public Works, and Finance department budgets. The funding for Option 2 is estimated at $507,500. More information can J.3 be found under the Financial Implications section. It is important to note that with the additional funding required, it is anticipated the return on investment will not be seen until the second operating season, if not later.

Option 3 – Reconstruct a permanent rink at City Plaza. This option would be a significant capital improvement project and will take away funding for other infrastructure needs within the City. It is estimated to have cost approximately $4.8 million to construct City Plaza, which included the permanent ice rink, in 2004. For additional reference, Saint Louis Park recently built a permanent outdoor rink of similar size at a cost of $5.8 million. The return on investment would not be seen until many years in the future.